Ent

erAppr
ent
iceMason
Whencecamey
ou?

Fr
om al
odgeoft
heHol
ySai
ntsJohnatJer
usal
em.

Whatcamey
ouher
etodo?

Tol
ear
ntosubduemypassi
onandi
mpr
ovemy
sel
finmasonr
y.

Theny
ouar
eamasonIpr
esume.

Iam sot
akenandaccommodat
edamongstbr
other
sandf
ell
ows.

Whatmakesy
ouamason?

MyObl
igat
ion.

Wher
ewer
eyoumadeamason?

Withi
nt he bodyofa j
ustand l
egal
lyconst
it
uted l
odge ofFr
ee and
AcceptedMasons.

HowmayIknowy
out
obeamason?

Bycer
tai
nsi
gns,
atoken,
awor
dandt
heper
fectpoi
ntsofent
rance.

Whatar
esi
gns?

Ri
ghtangl
e,hor
izont
al,
andper
pendi
cul
ar.

Whati
sat
oken?

Acer
tainfr
iendl
ygri
pwherebyonebr
othermasonmayknow anot
heri
n
t
hedarkaswellasi
nthel
ight
.

Whati
sawor
d?

Thenameofat
oken.
Whatar
etheper
fectpoi
ntsofent
rance?

Theguttur
al,pect
oral
,manualandpedalandar eexempl
if
iedbyt
hef
our
car
dinalvi
rt
ues:Temperance,
Fort
it
ude,PrudenceandJust
ice.

Wher
ewer
eyouf
ir
stpr
epar
edt
obemadeamason?

I
nmyhear
t.

Wher
enext
?

I
nar oom orpl
aceadjacentt
othebodyofaj
ustandl
egal
lyconst
it
uted
l
odgeofFreeandAcceptedMasons.

Howwer
eyoupr
epar
ed?

Bybeingdivestedofal lmineralsandmet als,nei

thernakednorclad,
baref
ootnorshad,hoodwinked,andwit
hacabl e-t
owoncearoundbyneck,
i
n which condit
ion Iwas conducted to a doorbya f ri
end,whom I
aft
erwar
dsf oundtobeabr other
.

Bei
nghoodwi
nked,
howdi
dyouknowi
ttobeadoor
?

Byf
ir
stmeet
ingwi
thr
esi
stanceandaf
ter
war
dsgai
ningadmi
ssi
on.

Howgai
nedy
ouadmi
ssi
on?

Bygivi
ngthr
eedist
inctknocksonthedoorf r
om wi
thout
,whichwas
answer
edbyalikenumberf rom wi
thi
n,f
oll
owedbyt heinqui
ry:Who
comesher
e?

Youranswer
.

Apoorblindcandi
date,whodesir
estobebr
oughtfr
om dar
knesstoli
ght,
torecei
veandhaveapar toftheri
ght
sandbenefi
tsofthisworshi
pful
l
odge erect
ed to God and dedi
cat
ed t
othe Hol
ySaintsJohn,asal l
brot
hersandfel
lowshavedonewhohavegonethi
swaybefore.

Whatwast
henasked?
I
fitwasofmyownf reewil
landaccord;ifIwasdulyandtrul
yprepar
ed,
worthyandwellquali
fied;Ofl
awfulageandpr oper
lyvouchedfor
.Allof
whichbeingansweredintheaff
ir
mat i
ve,Iwasthenaskedbywhatfurt
her
r
ightIexpectt o gai
n admissi
oni nto aLodgeofFr eeand Accepted
Masons.

Youranswer
?

Bybeingaman,f r
eebor
n,undert
het
ongueofgoodr
epor
tandcomi
ng
wel
lrecommended.

Whatwer
eyout
hent
oldt
odo?

Toawai
tati
mepat
ience,
unti
ltheWor
shipfulMasteri
ntheeasthadbeen
i
nfor
medofmyr
equestandhi
sanswerreturned.

Whatwashi
sanswer
?

Lethi
m ent
er.

Onyourf
ir
stadmissi
oni
ntoal
odgeofFr
eeandAccept
edMasons,how
wer
eyourecei
ved?

Upont hepointofasharpi
nstrumentpi
erci
ngmynakedl eftbreast
,whi
ch
wast oteachmet hatasthatinst
rumentisat ort
uretotheflesh,somay
therecoll
ect
ionbet omymi ndandconscience,shouldIeverpresumeto
revealanyofthesecret
sofFreemasonr
yunlawf ul
ly.

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasconduct edtot hecent

erofthel odgeandcausedtokneelf
orthe
benef
itofpr ayer,forno man should everenterupon anygreator
i
mportantundertaki
ng,wit
houtf
ir
stinvokingt
hebl
essingofGod.

Whatwer
eyout
henasked?

I
nwhom Iputmyt
rust
.

Youranswer
?
I
nGod.

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasconduct edoncer egular

lyaroundthelodget hattheWor shi
pful
Masterandbrethr
enmi ghtseet hatIwasdul yandt r
ulypr
epared;and
causedtostopatt hesout h,westandeastst at
ions,wher
et hesame
questi
onswereaskedandlikeanswersret
urnedasatthedoor.

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasr e-
conductedt otheSeni
orWar
deninthewestwhotaughtmeto
advancebyoner egul
arstep,myf
eetfor
mingari
ghtangl
e,bodyer
ect
,
faci
ngtheeast.

Whatwast
hensai
dtoy
ou?

Thatbeforeproceedinganyf urtherwit
htheceremoni esoft hi
sdegr ee,it
wouldbenecessar yf ormet otakeanobl i
gati
on,bywhi chIwoul dbi nd
my sel
ftokeepinviolateal
lthemy st
eri
esofFreemasonr y,appert
aini
ngt o
thedegreeofEnt eredAppr enti
ceMason.Thi sobli
gation,Iwasassur ed,
wouldnotinter
ferewi t
hthedut i
esIowet oGod, mycount ry,
mynei ghbors
ormy sel
f;i
tapper t
ainstoFr eemasonryalone.WiththatassuranceIwas
askedifIwaswi l
li
ngt oproceed.

Youranswer
?

Iwas.

Whatwast
hendone?

IwasmadeanEnt
eredAppr
ent
iceMasoni
nduef
orm.

Whati
sthatduef
orm?

Kneeli
ngatt heAltaronmynakedl eftknee,myrightf
ormingtheangl
eof
square,bodyer ectwithi
nasquar e,myl ef
thandsuppor t
ing,myright
rest
ingupon t heHolyBible,squar
eandcompasses,i nwhichdueformI
tookthesolemnobl i
gati
onofanEnt eredApprent
iceMason.
Repeatt
heObl
igat
ion.

-OBLI
GATI
ON-
Ofmyownf r
eewilland accor d,int hepr esenceofGod att hi
s
Wor shipfulLodgeofFr eeandAccept edMasons,er ectedt oHi m and
dedicatedt ot heHol ySai ntsJohn,doher ebyandher eonsol emnl yand
si
ncer elypr omiseandswear ,thatIwi llalwayshale’,foreverconceal,and
neverr evealanyoft hesecr etar ts, par
tsorpoi nt
soft hehi ddenmy st
eri
es
ofFr eemasonr y
,appert
aini ngt ot hedegr eeofEnt eredAppr enti
ceMason,
toanyper sonundert hecanopyofheaven,excepti tbet oat r
ueand
l
awf ulbr ot
hermason,orwi thi
nt hebodyofaj ustandl egall
yconst i
tut
ed
l
odgeofFr eeandAccept edMasons,andnei therunt ohi m northem,until
byst ri
cttri
al ,
dueexami nat ion,orl egalinfor
mat i
on,Ishal lhavefoundhi m
orthem t obeasl awful
lyent itl
edt ot hesameasIam my self.

Ifurtherpromiseandswear ,thatIwil
lnotwr i
te,indit
e,pri
nt,cut,
carve,hack,hew,etch,l
etterorengr avethesameuponany thingmovable
orimmovabl e,wherebyorwher eont heleastl
ett
er,figureorchar act
er
mightbecomel egi
bleorintel
l
igibletomeort oanyotherper sonunderthe
wholecanopyofheaven,wher ebyt hesecretsofFreemasonr ymi
ghtbe
unl
awf ull
ycommuni cated.

Toal lthese,Idomostsol emnl ypr omiseandsincerel

ypr omiseand
swear ,wi thaf i
xand st eadypur pose t o per
for
m t he same,wi t
hout
equivocat i
on,ment alr eservat
ion orsecr etevasion ofmi nd in me
what soever ,bindi
ngmy selfundernol essa penaltythant hatofhavi ng
myt hr oatcutf rom eartoear ,myt onguet akenoutbyitsroots,andbur i
ed
i
nt her oughsandsoft hesea,acabl e-l
engthf r
om shore,wher ethet i
de
regularlyebbsandf lows.SoHel pmeGodandkeepmest eadfastinthe
dueobser vanceoft hi
s,mysol emnobl igati
onasanEnt eredAppr enti
ce
Mason.

Whatwer
eyout
hent
oldt
odo?

Det
achmyhands,
bowmyhead, andint
okenofmysi
ncer
it
y,ki
sst
heHol
y
Bi
ble,
uponwhi
chIhadbeenobl
igat
ed.
Ofwhatwer
eyout
henr
eleased?

Thecabl
e-t
ow,i
tbei
ngoncearoundmyneckwast
osi
gni
fyt
omet
hatI
wasboundtot
hefr
ater
nit
ybyastrongert
ie.

Whatwast
henaskedy
ou?

Bei
ngi
nthecondi
ti
onofdar
kness,
whatImostdesi
re.

Youranswer
?

Li
ght
.

Di
dyour
ecei
vei
tandhow?

Idid,byorderoft
he Wor
shi
pfulMast
erwi
tht
he assi
stance oft
he
br
ethren.

Onbeingbroughtfr
om dar
knesst
oli
ght
,whatwer
ethef
ir
stobj
ect
s
pr
esentedt
oyourvi
ew?

Thethreegr eatli
ghtsofMasonr y–theHol yBibl
e,squar eandcompasses.
TheHol yBibleisgivent ousast heruleandguideofourf aith;thesquare
tosquareouract ions;andt hecompassest ocircumscr ibeourdesi r
es
andkeepourpassi onswi thi
ndueboundst owardal lmanki nd.These,I
wasbet terenabledt oobser vebyai doft hr
eelesserl i
ght s,representi
ng
thesun,moonandmast eroft helodge.Ast hesunr ulest hedayandt he
moongover nstheni ght,soshoul dtheWor shi
pfulMast erendeavor ,wit
h
equalregularit
y,tor ul
eandgover nt helodgeoverwhi chhei scalledto
presi
de.

Whatdi
dyout
henobser
ve?

TheWor shi
pfulMasterapproachi
ngmef r
om theeast ,underthedue-
guardandsignofanEnt er
edAppr enti
ceMason.Hepr esent
edmewi t
h
hi
sr i
ghthandintokenoffri
endshipandbrother
lyloveandi nvestedme
wit
ht hegri
pandwor dofthisdegree.Bademear ise,goandsal utet
he
Juni
orandSeniorWardensasanEnt er
edApprent
iceMason.
Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasre-
conductedtotheWor
shi
pfulMast
eri
ntheeast
,whopr
esent
ed
mewit
hal ambskinapr
on.

-LAMBSKI
NAPRON-
I
tisanembl em ofi nnocenceandt hebadgeofamason.Mor e
anci
entthanthegol denfleeceort heromaneagl e,morehonor
ablethan
thestarandgarter
,oranydi st
inct
iont hatcanbeconf err
edupony ouat
thi
soranyf utur
eper iod,byking,prince,potentateoranyotherperson
andwhichitishopedy ouwi l
lwearwi thpleasur
et oyoursel
fandhonorto
thefr
ater
nit
y.

I
tmaybet hati nt hecomi ngy ears,upony ourheadshal lr estthe
l
aur elwr eathofvi ctory,upony ourbr eastmayhangj ewelsf i
ttogr acet he
diadem ofaneast er npot entat
e;naymor ethant hese,withlightaddedt o
thecomi ngli
ght,y ourambi ti
ousf eetmayt readr oundaf terr oundt he
l
addert hatleadst of amei nourmy st i
cci r
cleandevent hepur pleofour
Fraternitymayr estupony ourhonor edshoul der.Butneveragai nfrom
mor talhands,neveragai nunt i
ly ourenf ranchisedspi r
itshallhavepassed
upwar d and i nwar dt hrough t he pear ly gates shal lany honor– so
disti
ngui shed,so embl emat i
calof pur it
y and al lper f
ections – be
best owedupony ouast hiswhi chInowconf er.Iti
sy ours–y ournamei s
wr i
ttenuponi t–y our stoweart hr
oughoutanhonor ableli
feandaty our
deat h,to bepl acedupont hecof fi
n,whi chshal lcontainy ourear t
hly
remai ns,andwi t
ht hem lai dbeneat ht hesilentclodsoft heval l
ey.

Letitspureandspot l
esssur facebetoy ouanever -
presentr eminder
ofanembl ematicalorunbl emi shedpur i
tyofl i
feandr ect
itudeofconduct ,
anever -endingar gumentf ornobl erdeeds,f orhigherthought s,forpurer
acti
ons,andf orgr eat
erachi evement s.Andwhenatl asty ourwear yfeet
shallhavecomet ot heendoft heirtoi
lsomej our
ney,andf rom y our
nervelessgr asp shalldr op forevert hewor ki
ng toolsofl i
fe,mayt he
recordofy ourlifeandact ionsbe, aspur eandspot lessast hi
sf ai
r
embl em whi chInow pl acei ny ourhands.Andwheny ourt r
embl ingsoul
shallst andnakedandal onebef or etheGr eatWhi teThr one,theret o
recei
vej udgmentf orthedeedsdonewhi lei nt hebody ,mayi tbey our
porti
ont ohearf rom Him whosi tt
et hastheJudgeSupr eme, t
hewel come
wor
ds,-“
Welldone,t
hougoodandf
ait
hfulser
vant
;ent
ert
houi
ntot
hej
oy
oft
hyLor
d.”

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasre-
conduct
edtotheseni
orwardeni
nt hewest
,whot
aughtmet
o
wearmyapronasanEnt
eredAppr
ent
iceMason.

HowdoEnt
eredAppr
ent
iceMasonsweart
hei
rapr
ons?

Wi
tht
het
opt
urnedup.

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasre-
conductedt
otheworshi
pfulmast
eri
ntheeast
,whopr
esent
ed
mewit
hthewor ki
ngt
ool
softhi
sdegree.

Whatar
ethewor
kingt
ool
sofanEnt
eredAppr
ent
iceMason?

Thet
went
y-f
ouri
nchgaugeandt
hecommongavel
.

-THETWENTY-
FOURI
NCHGAUGE-
I
sani nst
rumentmadeuseofbyoper ativemasonst omeasur eand
l
ayoutt heirwor k.Butwe,asFr eeandAccept edMasonsar et aughtt o
makeuseofi tfort hemorenobl eandgl oriouspur poseofdividingour
ti
me.Itbeingdi videdint
ot went
y -
fourequalpar t
s,i
sembl emat i
coft he
twenty-
fourhour soft heday,whichwear et aughttodivideintot hree
part
s,wherebywef indapartfort heserviceofGod,andadi stressed
worthybrother
;apar tforourusualvocati
ons;andapar tf
orrefreshment
andrepose.

-THECOMMONGAVEL-
Isani nstr
umentusedbyoper ati
vemasonst obreakoffther ough
andsuper
fluouspart
sofstones,thebett
ertofitt
hem forthebuil
der’
suse.
Butwe,asFr eeandAccept
edMasons, aretaughttomakeuseofi tforthe
morenobleandgl or
iouspurposeofdivest
ingourheartsandconsci ence
ofal
lthevi
cesandsuper fl
uit
iesofli
fe;t
herebyfi
tti
ngourmi nds,aslivi
ng
st
onesforthatspi
ri
tualbui
ldi
ng,t
hathousenotmadewi
thhands,et
ernal
i
ntheheavens.

Whatwer
eyout
henasked?

ThatIdepositsomemi neralormet al
li
csubstance,notforit
si ntr
insi
c
value,
butthatitmightbyplacedinthearchi
vesofthel
odge,astestimony
thatIwasthenandt heremadeamason.Norwas t hi
sdemandmadet o
tri
fl
ewi t
hmyper sonorfeeli
ngs,buttoteachmeani mportantlessonin
Masoniccharit
y .

Whatwast
hendone?

Iwasr e-
conductedtothepl acewhenceIcame,i nvestedwiththatof
whichIhadbeendivest
ed, andonmyr etur
ntothelodge,Iwasconducted
tothenort
heastcornerthereof
,andplacedont hefi
rststepofaMason,
wheretheworshipf
ulmasterwaspl easedtosaytome,t hatIther
estand
ajustanduprightmason,andassuch,gavei ttomest ri
ctl
yin-
charge,
evert
owalkandact .

(Exami
nerandCandi
datebot
hrise,sal
utefaci
ngeachot
her
,joi
n
handsgi
vegri
pandwordasgi
venattheAlt
ar.
)

EX:(
Tocandi
dat
e)AdvanceasanEnter
edAppr
ent
iceMason,gi
vet
he
due-
guar
dandsi
gnthisdegr
ee.

EX:(
SIGNS)Wor
shi
pfulMast
er,
theexami
nat
ioni
sconcl
uded.